Before I was THE Finnick Odair
by hermionemellark
Summary: Finnick and Annie from when he first laid eyes on her.


**Hey guys I'm back! This has been sitting on my desktop for a while but i didn't post it because this is all i have written so far. So the updates might take a while. Anyway, enjoy! **

Chapter 1

At 13 I first saw her. I saw her standing in the section with the other twelve year olds in the reaping. There was a look of pure terror on her face. I tried to smile at her, and she seemed to hold my look forever, before the terror returned to her eyes. She was beautiful. Sea green eyes, long flowing dark hair, with a green ribbon in it. I never understood why people dressed up for the reapings- so they would make a good first impression before they were sent for their death? The escort for district four tributes cleared his throat.

"Let us begin the reaping of the 64th Annual Hunger Games begin!" He shouted gleefully. How one could find glee in this was unknown to me. He reached into the first bowl- my bowl. I felt myself tense.

"Gorby Zerlandar!" A boy- scratch that man from the 18-year olds section bolted to the stage. I saw him swallow his fear as district four began to cheer. I relaxed and looked back over to the 12 year olds. She was there, gripping another girls hand, her face twisted in fear. I sent her a thumbs up and she nodded.

"Delia Yrio!" The escort screamed. She began to cry. Her friend turned white. Two peacekeepers began walking towards us. Towards her. I gasped. This may have been the first time I noticed her, but I didn't want her to leave. Ever. Instead of grabbing her, they grabbed her friend. Delia. Delia began kicking and screaming.

"Annie! Annie! Oh Annie!" She cried, sobbing. While everyone was silent,I was thinking of Her. She had a name. Annie. I looked back at Annie. She sat down, slowly rocking back and forth, crying silently.

"Congratulations to our district four tributes!" The man exclaimed, trying to break the silence. Everyone clapped half-heartedly- except me. And Annie. Everyone began to leave, and much celebration came from the families who's children were safe. The Yrio's and the Zerlandar's would be mourning and savoring the last moments with their kids. Annie's family went to get her, but she shooed them away. My mother came to get me, along with my dad and 19 year old brother, but I told them I needed to go get something and would meet them back home. They nodded and walked towards home. I waited and got up. I slowly inched towards the girl-towards Annie. I reached her and sat down next to her. I swallowed.

"Hi." I began slowly. She looked up at me with big, teary eyes. "I'm sorry about your friend." She looked at me again. I felt my cheeks grow red. Me! Mr. Big Shot. I reached out my hand to shake hers. "I'm Finnick." She looked at me, wiping her tears with her hand. She grasped my hand in both of hers, holding onto them like a lifeline (not that we needed those here in district four. We know how to swim by the time we can walk.)

"Annie." She said quietly, her voice shaking. "She's my best friend, like a sister. But we don't fight. We just talk and swim and" (she begins to smile) "and one time, we tricked our teacher into thinking we were twins! We both wore our dads fishing hats so she wouldn't see our hair, and wore matching dresses! It was the best. But now…" she begins to blubber. I reach out and hug her. A look of surprise crosses her face.

"It'll be ok. While I know I'll never be Delia… I would go swimming with you. Want to go?" I ask hopefully, praying that she will say yes or at least won't squirm away or slap me. I know sometimes I might be a little "much."

"I'd love that." She says. Her nose is running so I give her my handkerchief. She gets up and grabs my hand. Annie (how I love saying it) pulls me along the street, down to the coast, running towards the crisp blue ocean. It was amazing. Such a simple thing could make her smile and forget. She slipped out of her skirt and shirt and ran in her underwear and tank top down to the water. I was lucky I had shorts on, so I took off my shirt and chased after her. She ran into the tide, being knocked over by the cool water. I ran in after her and grabbed her hand to pull her back in. Annie pulled, knocking me over into the waves. She ran away, laughing. I blushed, embarrassed she had done that to me. I picked myself up and found her looking down at me. We ran into the tide and back out as the tide became higher and higher. Suddenly, the tide grabbed me, pulling me out. I tried to swim out of it, but it just kept pulling me under. I began to panic. I looked back at shore to look for Annie. I couldn't find her. I screamed, scared I had lost Her already. Suddenly a head popped up next to me. I felt someone's arms wrap around me as waves crashed over me, threatening to pull me under. I saw the shore become nearer and nearer. I was dropped on the shore suddenly, and began to cough. I heard gasping as I turned to see Annie gasping for breath. I wrapped my arms around her as the sun set. I tried the Heimlich maneuver but she continued to gasp. Glad I had been on a boat with my father when there was a man overboard, I laid her on her back. I pressed my mouth to hers, breathing into her lungs while pinching her nose. I felt her begin to breathe and helped her sit up. She coughed one more time then smiled.

"You saved me." She said. I saved her? She had saved me! I smiled.

"All in a day's work." I said jokingly. "But you saved me! I would have been pulled out to the sea if it wasn't for you, thank yo-" I was cut off suddenly because my airway was blocked. I saw Annie's big beautiful eyes and noticed her lips on mine. She kissed me (my first kiss) for another few seconds.

"That's for saving me. Isn't that the payment knights get for saving a princess?" She said, smiling shyly. Annie then looked down and remembered she was in her underwear. She ran for her clothes as I laughed and reached for my shirt. I pulled my shirt on and walked to her. As she finished buttoning her shirt, I offered her my hand. We walked back to district four hand in hand.

As we walked into district 4, she dropped my hand and began to tear up. I was very confused until I looked at the house we were passing- Delia's. I pulled her into a hug, but she quickly pulled away.

"I need to go… say goodbye. Thanks for saving me." She says as she turns to leave. I grab her arm and she turns back. "I didn't even know you before today. It would be weird for us to appear like we are best friends. But I will never forget you." She whispers, squeezing my hand. I watch her walk towards Delia's house, a tear dripping down her face. I watched her go to say goodbye. A girl of 12 shouldn't have to deal with watching her best friend be brutally killed.


End file.
